Electron-discharge apparatus



Jan. 3, 1928. 1,655,270 A. w. HULL ELECTRON DI SCHARGE APPARATUS Original Filed July 27, 1923 7 7 7 4 4 e 4 .5 3 5T; /4 3 a e E g l n w i a i D 22 W M Inventor Nbertw. Hg. I,

His ATSTiovney- Patented Jan. 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT W. HULII, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'IO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRON-DISCIIARGE AIPPARATUS.

Application filed July 27, 1923, Serial No. 654,248. Renewed Kay 23, 1927.

The present invention relates to electron discharge apparatus, and more particularly to circuit connections whereby a plurality of electron discharge devices may be operated in conjunction with one another. r

In my copending application, Serial No. 592,158, filed October 3, 1922, I have described and claimed an electron discharge device which comprises a rectifying portion and an amplifying portion whereby it is adapted to be operated entirely by means of alternating current, the rectifying portion serving to rectify current for the operation of the amplifying portion.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide circuit arrangements which are especially adapted for the operation of devices of the type described in my prior application to produce successive amplification. Another object of my invention is to provide circuit arrangements whereby one device of the type described in my prior application will be adapted to rectify alternating current to supply operating current to another electron discharge device. Still another object of my invention is to provide a circuit arrangement whereby two of the devices described in my prior application may be operated in cascadeto produce suc- 530 cessive amplification and at the same time serve to produce full wave rectification of alternating current fol-supplying operating current to the amplifying portions of the two devices as well as to the amplifying por- $5 tions of other devices.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims; my invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, to-

gether with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show diagrammatically three different connections whereby my invention may be carried into effect.

In Fig. l of the drawing I have indicated electron discharge devices 1, 2 and 3, each of which comprises an evacuated receptacle containing a filamentary electrode 4, a cyliudrical electrode 5 surrounding the filamentary electrode, a grid electrode 6 and an anode 7. The outer surface of the cylindrical electrode 5 is preferably coated with some thermionically active material so that the outer surface thereof will emit electrons at a relatively low temperature in comparison with the inner surface.

In the operation of devices such as I have just described in a circuit such as I have shown in Fig. 1 a source of alternating current, such for example as a transformer having a primary 8 and a secondary 9 may be provided. Portions of the secondary turns of this transformer are connected to the filamentary electrodes 4 for heating them to cause them to emit electrons, and also to heat the surrounding electrodes 5 either by radiation or bombardment to such a temperature that the outer surface will emit electrons for supplying the space current for the amplifying portions of the devices. In other words, the outer surface of electrodes 5 are adapted to serve as cathodes in conjunction with anodes 7. The inner surfaces of the electrodes 5 are adapted to act as anodes inconjunction with the electrode 4 to rectify the alternating current supplied from the secondary 9 of the transformer.

In the arrangement of Fig. 1 the rectifying portions of devices 2 and 3 are connected to opposite terminals of the secondary 9 to produce full wave rectification of the al tcrnating current. Anodes 7 of devices 1, 2 and 3 are all connected through resistances 10 to an intermediate point in the secondary 9. Electrodes 5 of devices 1, 2 and 3 are also connected together and the condensers 11 connected between resistances 10 and electrodes 5 serve in conjunction with the resistances to smooth out fluctuations of the current supplied to the plate circuits of devices 1, 2 and 3. The complete path of the current in the plate circuits of the different devices 1, 2 and 3 may be traced from the terminals of the secondary 9 through electrodes 4 of devices 2 and 3 across the evacuated spaces to electrodes 5, across the evacuated spaces from electrodes 5 to anodes 7,

til

. potential of the secondary and back through resistances 10 to the intermediate terminal of the secondary 9, the current flowin in only one direction through these circuits ecause of the rectifier action taking place between electrodes 4 and 5.

Device 1 is connected to serve as a detector of radio signals received upon the antenna 12 and the plate or output circuit of the device 1 is coupled through the transformer 13 to the grid or input circuit of the device 2. The plate or output circuit of device 2 is in turn coupled to the grid or input circuit of device 3 by means of a transformer 14. The plate circuit of device 3 may include the usual telephone receivers 15,

or other indicating devices for producing an indication of the received signals. It will be noted thatthe electrode 4 of device 1 in this case merely serves to heat electrode 5 of that device to cause it to emit electrons and the maximum alternating current potential applied to device 1 from the transformer isare both connected so that the rectifying portion ofeach serves to rectify the current supplied to its plate circuit. The cascade connection between devices 17 and 18 in this caseinstead of being made through coupling transformers is provided b a cho e in the plate circuit of device 17 in series with a resistance 19 shunted by a. condenser 20. The anode 7 of device 17 is directly connected to the grid 6 of the device 18. Either-oneof the devices 17 and 18 for operating other devices. the anode 7 of devicel6, which supplies current to the input of device 17 may be con-.

may also serve to supply rectified current For example,

nected by means of a connecting conductor 21 to the positive terminal of the rectifying portion of device 17, whereby rectified current produced by the rectifying portion of the device 17 may be supplied. The desired negative bias for the grid of device 18 is provided by the drop through the resistance 19. Similarly a negative bias for the grid 6 of device 16 may be provided by means of a resistance 22 shunted by the condenser 23 connected in the input circuit of device 16. With this connection the cathode 50f device 16 will always be positive with res ect to the grid by an amount equal to tiie drop through this resistance 22.

In Fig. 3 I have indicated a modification of my invention in which full wave rectification of the alternating current is provided in a single device 24. This device is provided w1th two filamentary electrodes 25, which are surrounded b the cylindrical electrode 26 and separated from each other by a partition 27. Device 24 is provided with a single grid 28 and a single anode 29. The rectifying connections are the same as those of Fig. 1 and rectified current may be supplied for the operation of other devices in the same manner as indicated in Fig. 1.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of m invention, it is apparent that many modi ications in the circuit arrangements and the functions served by the different devices may be made without departing from the scope of my invention as set forth in the ap ended claims. What I claimas new and esire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination of two electron-discharge devices which are ada ted to serve both as. rectifiers and amplifiers, said devices being connected in cascade to produce successive amplification and being oppositely connected to an alternating .current source to produce full wave rectification of current supplied by said source.

2. The combination of two electron discharge devices having input and output circuits, which are adapted to serve both as rectifiers and amplifiers, said devices being connected in cascade to produce successive amplification and being oppositely connected to an alternating current source to produce full wave rectification of current supplied by said source for supplying the output circuits of both devices.

3. The combination of two electron discharge devices each comprising a rectifying portion and an amplifying portion, the amplifying portions of said devices being connected in cascade to produce successive amplification and the rectifying portions being oppositely connected to an alternating current source to produce full wave rectification of current supplied from that source for supplying the amplifying portions of both devices.

4. The combination of two electron discharge devices each comprising a rectifying portion and an amplifying portion, the rectifying portion of each device comprising cathodes adapted to be heated to emit electrons, the amplifying portions of said de vices being connected in cascade to produce successive amplification, the cathodes of the rectifying portions of the two devices being connected to opposite terminals of an alternating current source, and connections from an intermediate point in said source to electrodes included in the amplifying portions of said devices.

5. The combination of two electron discharge devices each comprising a rectifying portion and an amplifying portion, the

rectifying portion of each device comprising an electrode adapted to be heated to emit electrons and a second electrode adapted to receive electrons "from the first electrode and be heated to a temperature at which a surface thereof remote from the first electrode will emit electrons for operating the amplifying portion of the device, the amplifying portions of said devices being connected in cascade to produce successive amplification, the first named electrodes of the rectifying portions of the two devices being connected to opposite terminals. of an alternating current source, connections between the second named electrodes of the rectifying portion and connections from an intermediate pointin said source to electrodes included in the amplifying portions of said devices.

6. The combination of two electron discharge devices each of which has a heating element, adapted to emit electrons, a second element adapted to receive electrons. from and be heated by said heating element to a temperature at which a surface thereof remote from the heating element will emit electrons, and serve as a cathode, an anode cooperating with said cathode, a grid electrode for controlling the flow of electrons between said cathode and said anode, means for-supplying currents to be amplified to the cathode grid circuit of one of said devices,

means for supplying amplified currents from the cathode anode circuit of the first device to the cathode grid circuit of the second device, and a source of alternating current having its two opposite terminals connected to the two heating elements of said devices and having an intermediate terminal connected to the anodes of said devices.

7. The combination of a plurality of electron discharge amplifying devices connected in cascade and means whereby'two of said devices serve to produce full wave rectifica- I tion of current from an alternating source for supplying operating current to all of said devices.

8. The combination of a plurality of electron discharge amplifying devices connected in cascade, at least two of said devices comprising rectifying portions as well as amplifying portions, and means whereby two of said devices serve to produce full wave rectification of current from an 7, alternating source for supplying operating current to all of said devices.

9. The combination of a plurality of electron discharge devices connected in cascade, at least one of said devices having a rectifying portion as well as an amplifying portion, and means whereby the rectifying portion of one of said devices serves to rectify current from an alternating source for supplying operating current to another of said devices.

. 10. The combination of a plurality of electron discharge devices connected in cascade, all of said devices having a rectifying portion as well as an amplifying portion, and means whereby the rectifying portion of one of said devices serves to rectify current from an alternating source for supplying operating current to another of said devices.

11. The combination of a plurality of electron discharge devices connected in cascade, all of said devices having a rectifying portion as well as an amplifying portion, said rectifying portion comprising a cathode adapted to be heated to emit electrons and heat a cooperating anodeto a temperature at which Jone portion thereof emits electrons for operation of the amplifying portion, and means whereby the rectifying portion of one of said devices serves to rectify current from an, alternating source for s-u plying operating current to another of sai devices.

12. The combination of a plurality of elec tron discharge devices connected in cascade, all of said devices having a rectifying portion comprising a cathode adapted to be heated to emit electrons and heat a cooperating electrode to a temperature at which one portion thereof emits electrons for the operation of the amplifying portion, and means whereby the rectifying portion of one of said devices serves to rectify current from an alternating source for supplying operating current to another of said devices, the cathode of the rectifying portion of which merely serves to heat the cooperating anode.

13. The combination of a plurality of electron discharge devices connected in cascade oneof said devices being adapted to serve as a detector and another of said devices being adapted to serve as an amplifier, and means whereby the amplifying device serves to rectify current from an alternating current source for supplying operating current to the detector.

14:. The combination of a plurality of electron discharge devices connected in cascade, all of said devices having a rectifying portion as well as an amplifying portion, the amplifying portion of one of said devices being adapted to serve as a detector, and means whereby the rectifying portion of another device serves to rectify current from an alternating current source for supplying operating current to the detector.

15. The combination of a plurality of electron discharge devices connected in cascade, all of said devices having a rectifying portion as well as an amplifying portion, the amplifying portion of one of said devices being adapted to serve as a detector and means whereby the rectifying portions of two of the other devices serve to produce full wave rectification of current from an alternating source for supplying operating current to the detector.

.6. The combination of a plurality of electron discharge devices connected in cascade, all'of said devices having a rectifying portion as well as an amplifying portion, the

5 amplifying portion of one 0 said devices being adapted to serve as a detector, and means whereby the rectifying portions of two of the other devices serve to produce full -wave rectification of current from an alternating source for supplying operating current to all of said device-s. Inwitness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 26th dayof July. 1923.

ALBERT W. HULL. 

